Amy Grant Surprises with Remix Album; Release Party Friday at Siam

ST. LOUIS – LGBT music lovers are preparing to converge on Siam in the Grove for the Amy Grant “In Motion: The Remixes” Capitol Records Album Release Dance Party on Friday, Aug. 22 from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m.

Organized by Chad Connors, the event will feature promotional giveaways, including CD’s; food and drink specials, a special drag show, live DJ and laser dance lighting, and of course, remix videos galore.

The six-time Grammy Award winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, with myriad singles landing on the Top 40 charts. With a loyal LGBT fan base, Grant brings new life to some of her biggest hits with her first career remix album which was released to rave reviews this week.

According to Executive Producer Debra Eriksen, Grant and her manager had been planning the remix album for the past nine years due to the high demand from fans “and especially the LGBT community.” The project began in earnest in spring 2013 when producers began the selection of the top remixers in the business to work their magic on the 80s and 90s hits.

“We compiled a master list from Amy's extensive catalog of her biggest songs since the beginning of her career in the 1980s,” said Eriksen. “Once the producers/remixers were confirmed for the album, they all received this master list to choose their favorite song to remix for the album. This was a very important part in the creative process as each of them had their own story about how Amy's music had impacted them early in their careers and continues to today.”

“It was actually quite easy as there was so much wonderful material to choose from,” Erikesen continued. “Dave Audé was the first producer/remixer I called about being involved with the album and the first words out of his mouth were, "Yes, I'm interested AND I have to remix "Baby, Baby!” The Same thing happened with Moto Blanco asking to remix "Every Heartbeat" in the first conversation. Each of the producers came back to me within a week with their choice. And the album was born.”

Audé is a remixing mastermind – a veritable hit maker. He also tells #Boom he’s been an Amy Grant fan since he first discovered her duet with Peter Cetera, “The Next Time I Fall.” As for bringing new life to the 1991 classic, “Baby, Baby” – he said “it wasn’t THAT hard.” The song is currently #4 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart.

“It's a hit record so the hard work was done before I started,” Audé explained. “I had a lot of fun making it in 2014. I'd say the only challenge would have possibly been all of the key changes. That was a very popular thing to do back then - it seems like all of the big records had key transposing. This one might win as it had three, I think.”

“The LGBT community really appreciates it,” Audé continued. “because it's a naturally fun, uplifting, pop song that probably gets more play in LGBT clubs because they aren't afraid to play great songs that might not be "EDM" or whatever the trend might be. I've gotten more fan messages about this song recently than some of my other remixes. It's great to see true music fans are still out there.”

Having earned three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums along with ten Top 40 pop singles and seventeen Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks, Grant had no shortage of hits to choose from for the remix album.

“The LGBT community has long been known for breaking new music first so it’s a natural fit that this album would appeal to them right out of the box,” offered Eriksen. “From here sky's the limit. Amy has a beautiful spirit and a God given talent to open hearts and spread love to the masses through her music. Her songs have inspired millions around the world and have moved generations. Her music is a true testament to the statement "music has no boundaries.”

“Every mix is different for different reasons,” added Audé. “I love what I do and I'm still excited to get up every day and make music. I love challenges and I love great songs, so either way it's a win/win for me. As for “Baby, Baby” – it’s something fans can listen and dance to for at least another 25 years.”

A Contemporary Christian singer turned crossover artist, Grant gave her first interview to the LGBT press last year. There really wasn’t any reason for the delay – the fact is she’d never been asked before then.

“Everybody is outside of some circle, but what I've always wanted to do is have a message of honesty and welcoming, and being willing to say this is the good, bad and the ugly,” Grant told Between the Lines. “This is who I am. And if I'm saying that about myself, it's like, jump in, the water's fine. So I love that. I love that people connect to my music.”

“Even when I was discovering my own sexuality and meeting people that had a different experience, I didn't categorize then, and I don't categorize right now,” Grant continued. “It makes me realize that I don't have any idea of what it would feel like every moment of my life to go somewhere and feel judged.”